Warrick Dunn

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT WARRICK DUNN - PAGE 4

Troy Aikman, Cowboys Aikman sustained the concussion when he was sacked by Philadelphia's Hugh Douglas and James Darling midway through the second quarter. It was the fourth time he had been sacked in the game. It was the ninth career concussion for Aikman, who is in his 12th season. The Cowboys were not certain whether Aikman could return for next Sunday night's game at Arizona. Rob Johnson, Bills Buffalo's starting quarterback left Sunday night's game in the second half with an injury to his left leg. His status was uncertain.

R. Stephen Bowden, son of Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden, is among seven people indicted in an alleged securities fraud conspiracy that cost investors $10 million. Stephen's indictment makes him the fourth Bowden newsmaker in the family, matching the previous family-high of the similarly named Baldwins, who also have a Stephen mixing it up. BOWDENS Bobby, Tommy, Terry and R. Stephen BALDWINS Alec, Billy, Daniel and Stephen (No "R" needed) Matchup The Baldwins had a guy in Backdraft (Billy)

Lawyers for a former St. Louis Rams player and three fans plan to withdraw a lawsuit that accuses the Patriots of cheating in the 2002 Super Bowl. In court papers filed Monday, the plaintiffs' attorneys say they sued last month in an attempt to secure sworn testimony from former Patriots employee Matt Walsh, who allegedly taped a walkthrough practice by the Rams before New England's Super Bowl win. But the lawyers for former Rams player Willie Gary said Walsh would exercise his right against self-incrimination.

Lawrence Phillips is taking his coach's advice and leaving national champion Nebraska for the NFL. Phillips, the troubled but talented Cornhuskers' tailback, said Tuesday he will pass up his senior season and declare himself eligible for the NFL draft. Coach Tom Osborne has said that if he stayed at Nebraska, Phillips likely would continue to be marked for criticism, as he has been in Lincoln since his arrest for assaulting a former girlfriend in September. He was sentenced to one year probation.

Three-time Pro Bowl running back Priest Holmes will report to the Kansas City Chiefs' camp Saturday in a surprise development that comes 21 months after he was knocked out of football by a devastating hit. The return of the team's career leading rusher adds a twist to the situation surrounding Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson, who has vowed to hold out of camp until he gets a new contract. The Chiefs announced Wednesday that Holmes, 33, informed them he will report to their camp in River Falls, Wis., on Saturday.

The Eagles got the defensive playmaker they desperately needed, signing free-agent cornerback Asante Samuel to a six-year contract Friday. Samuel, an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection last season, spent the last five seasons with the Patriots and had 16 interceptions the last two years. The Eagles wasted little time making an offer, reportedly worth up to $60 million, on the first day of free agency. The Eagles needed a corner like Samuel. They had only 11 interceptions last year.

As the Chicago White Sox prepare to invade Wrigley Field to face the Cubs this weekend for another edition of the City Series, Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf already should feel like a winner. On June 21, Reinsdorf was one of the recipients of a Jefferson Award, regarded as the "Nobel Prize for public service. " Invariably, owners of professional sports teams are measured by their number of championship trophies. On that account, Reinsdorf's legacy is secure, having overseen the six NBA titles by the Bulls and the 2005 World Series victory of his White Sox. Yet another less conspicuous measure of a true sportsman is his willingness to give back to the community, and for that Reinsdorf again has come out a champion.

In another circumstance, the selling of Autry Denson already would have begun. If he rushes for 990 yards in his senior season at Notre Dame, Denson will surpass Allen Pinkett and become the leading ground-gainer in school history. If he gains 1,000, he will join Pinkett as the only Irish backs to reach that level in three consecutive seasons. With that level of production, before a high-profile backdrop, a December trip to the Downtown Athletic Club as a Heisman Trophy finalist would seem a reasonable possibility.

Three months after they battled for college football's national title, Florida State and Florida teamed up with Miami on Saturday to dominate the first round of the NFL draft. In an awesome display of draft-day muscle, the trio of Sunshine State powerhouses produced nine of the first 18 picks. Four were Seminoles, three Hurricanes and two Gators. The first wide receiver picked was Ike Hilliard of Florida, while the first running back was Warrick Dunn of Florida State. But the best quarterback in college football a year ago, Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, languished as NFL teams apparently attributed his eye-popping statistics to Steve Spurrier's Fun 'n' Gun offense.

New Atlanta coach Mike Smith is beginning to lay out his plans for how he wants his team to evolve after the Falcons' regrettable season under the direction of Bobby Petrino. Smith, the former Jaguars defensive coordinator, is stressing that the Falcons become a team that wins the battles up front. "You have to stop the run and you have to be able to run the football," Smith said. "If you're able to do that I believe you will be successful." That could mean the Falcons will be on the lookout to add a running back to augment or replace aging Warrick Dunn and/or Jerious Norwood.